Edits, Edits, Everywhere

I have a very hard time writing sometimes. Not because I don’t enjoy it. I just get so caught up in editing myself that sometimes it takes me days to finish a scene. This can be very discouraging to someone with a weekly word count goal of five thousand.

I think I’ve finally managed to strike a proper balance between writing and self-editing, however. Now, instead of polishing a scene until it gleams, I do a quick run through. I check for spelling, punctuation, word repetition, and grammar. After that, I leave it alone until I’m completely finished with the chapter. Not until I have moved on to a new scene do I go back and re-edit a previous chapter.

This benefits in two ways.

1. The scene is fresh since I haven’t spent hours perusing the content until I can no longer see straight.

2. Editing before writing helps me get back into the rhythm of the story. It renews my momentum and helps me get in touch with my characters again.

What about you? How do you balance editing and writing? Is one more difficult than another?

How about some feedback! I'd love to hear from you.